Lows, Highs and Goodbyes -- 2011Posted by Paul Gardner on Dec. 31, 12:19 p.m.The usual touches of sadness and gladness, accompanied by the glow of excitement and the groans of disappointment come back to me from the soccer year that was 2011. There were occasions ...» 11 Comments

The Latest Fashion News from FIFA -- or, A Look at the 2012 Rule BookPosted by Paul Gardner on Dec. 20, 6:07 p.m.Reading the soccer rule book -- or any rule book -- is not really anyone's idea of having a good time. But someone has to do it once in a while, so I'll save you the trouble with a quick skim through the latest version of FIFA's "Laws of the Game." I shall call them rules, though.» 7 Comments

Barcelona vs. the best? No contestPosted by Paul Gardner on Dec. 18, 8:17 p.m.Within the last eight days Barcelona has stamped its superiority on world soccer in a way that brooks no argument. Pep Guardiola's team is simply irresistible.» 16 Comments

North Carolina quells Charlotte Frenzy to take College CupPosted by Paul Gardner on Dec. 12, 12:28 a.m.The most baffling moment of the college final arrived during halftime. Charlotte's coach Jeremy Gunn was telling us that he felt "the first half went well for us" and that what was needed in the second half was "to keep making life difficult for our opponents." Well, fair enough, not exactly the most sophisticated approach you'll ever hear, but I ...» 16 Comments

Bruce Arena exposes fallacy of Euro training for MLS youngstersPosted by Paul Gardner on Dec. 9, 12:11 a.m.Bruce Arena, I'm delighted to announce, has returned to being Bruce Arena. After a season in which his Galaxy gave us game after game of very dull, very un-Arena-ish games, he has now had his say -- a very invigorating, straight-talking, totally Arena-ish say -- on a topic that has long cried out for such a comment.» 13 Comments

More questions about the safety of headingPosted by Paul Gardner on Dec. 4, 7:32 p.m.U.S. Youth Soccer's "official" response -- if that's what it is -- to the latest medical studies on possible brain damage resulting from heading the ball sounds dangerously complacent.» 10 Comments